Chico State University president suspends Greek activities

During a 45-minute meeting with about 250 campus Greeks Thursday, Chico State University President Paul Zingg suspended all sorority and fraternity activities due to the alcohol-overdose death of a fraternity pledge and other matters.

There are 26 fraternities and sororities with about 1,200 members at Chico State.

Addressing about 250 students at noon in the Bell Memorial Union Auditorium, an angry Zingg said fraternity members don't get a "pass" when they "stand by idly and watch a brother gulp down 21 shots for his 21st birthday and then let him pass out in his own vomit."

When people notice that he's not responsive and then call for help, Zingg said, "You don't get a pass for calling 9-1-1 in a situation like that."

The president referred to the case of Mason Sumnicht, who suffered an alcohol overdose Nov. 4 after celebrating his 21st birthday. He died on Thursday.

Chico State spokesman Joe Wills said Sumnicht was pledging Sigma Pi this semester. A website lists him as a member of that fraternity's flag football, soccer and volleyball teams.

At Thursday's meeting, Zingg told the students that seven years ago he spoke at a similar gathering following a death due to a fraternity hazing, a riot downtown and other episodes.

The student who died in the hazing incident was Matthew Carrington, a 21-year-old fraternity pledge. Zingg referred to "Matt's Law," a state law resulting from the case, which allows for felony prosecutions when serious injuries or deaths result from hazing.

Zingg said he met with Greeks then and demanded changes.

Things improved greatly, he said, but recently there has been slippage.

Drew Calandrella, the campus vice president for student affairs, also spoke at the gathering.

He pointed to problems involving fraternities and sororities last semester and this semester.

They included incidents of drinking with potential new members — which violates the rules, two allegations of hazing, assaults, sexual assaults and "three hazing incidents within the last 30 days."

He said he knew many Greek organizations are "exemplars" of what Greek life is supposed to be.

"I also know that these kinds of behaviors in one fell swoop can wipe out all the positive side of the ledger," he said.

Calandrella told the Greeks they will not be able to recruit or have social events until the spring semester.

He said by January, the campus administration will have developed a process by which fraternities and sororities can be evaluated.

There will be new guidelines chapters must meet to be reinstated.

While the fraternities and sororities are on suspension, they will have to cover up or remove the Greek letters from their houses, he said.

"I don't think it's fair to generalize us all into the negative group," Courtney Wessel, a member of the sorority Sigma Omega Phi, told a reporter from this newspaper after the meeting with Zingg and Calandrella.

During the meeting, Zingg told the students that as Greeks they were perceived as campus leaders and they needed to behave accordingly.

He said fraternities and sororities at Chico State are responsible for a tremendous amount of admirable service.

"Overwhelmingly, most are committed to that — but not all," he said.

Referring to the suspension, Calandrella said, "Some of you will be upset, angry, maybe bitter. Use this time to reflect."

He advised the students to re-read their fraternity and sorority charters, which Zingg had characterized as listing ideals such as sisterhood, brotherhood and responsibility.

"Examine your own moral compass. Are you the one able to say, 'This is not the way to go?'" he asked. "This is about change of an organization, yourselves and the Greek system."

Staff writer Larry Mitchell can be reached at 896-7759, lmitchell@chicoer.com, or followed on Twitter, @LarryMitchell7. Staff writers Ashley Gebb and Katy Sweeny assisted with this story.